Loki Listens Volume 1: Developmental Theology will be available later this week, in print form for the first time, through amazon.com and CreateSpace. It will also be available for download on the Amazon Kindle.

And so it ends. 52 Lessons in this series. Once a week, makes a year’s worth of reading and study. This lesson is a finisher, and also a teaser for the next series, Basic Ideology.

We are going to talk just a very little about the idea of “Gnosis.” Gnosis is the state of enlightenment that some believe can be achieved through knowledge. At one time, there were many Gnostic sects for many religions, but in present day, very few still exist. We are not going to concern ourselves with where they are and what they do. Instead, we will focus on the idea alone.

The idea of Gnosis, or enlightenment though knowledge, is similar to other things we have talked about, such as Zen and Existentialism. I often find that these three philosophies are more closely tied that most would like to admit.

Gnosis encourages learning and compassion. And as such it also encompasses the “Live in the Now” ideas of Zen and Existentialism.

So, let’s add this brief part of the ideas to our shamanic thoughts. Knowledge is power. That has always been true. Living in the Now gets rid of things that stop human advancement, such as anxieties. If you live in this present moment, and realize that was has past is just a story book, and what is to come is merely science fiction, it becomes easier to make this, and every, moment count.

There are hundreds of ways to say this, and it has been said over and over for centuries, but really understanding the idea is what matters. Understand that the you that is reading this is only you for that moment. After this moment has passed, it is not you anymore. You are already on the next moment, gleaning more information further down the page.

Convert your idea of time into still frames, or seconds, or motions. You can break it down to the most basic thought, and then when you run through all of those thoughts it becomes the flipbook that we call memory. And just like a real flipbook or film reel, sometimes pages, or slides become lost or damaged.

I’m starting to ramble a bit, so let’s pull this together. It’s hard for me not to ramble, knowing this is the end of a class that I’ve taught for more than a year now.

So, if we can gain knowledge, and remain fully aware of our past and future, without letting it hinder our abilities here in the Now, we might reach that state of Gnosis or enlightenment. Sounds pretty difficult, right? Well, you’re the one that wanted to be a shaman. :p

As this course comes to a close, there are many things I have left to teach, but after these 52 lessons you should have a sound and stable starting point for building your own personal theology.

Let’s break away these walls and join each other. I am no more teacher than I am student. Richard Bach once wrote, “We teach best what we need to learn the most.” Nothing could be more true. So, here I am, on the cusp of something extraordinary, and I want all of you to join me.

Some secrets may change hands. Life may transform as we evolve both physically and spiritually. The adoption of technology to the shaman’s path is of utmost imprtance. The shaman can no longer be just about nature. The shaman has to grow with the culture, and the culture is growing rapidly. Never has the shaman had the chance he does now. The chance to be everywhere at once, literally.

As saplings we all start, but soon we grow into trees that devour our surroundings. Be the oak tree. Give something back for what you are taking. Do not be the weeping willow, who takes all of the water it can, but offers nothing in return.

It’s time that we began to think globally. There is more out there than your own backyard. Jump for it. Strive for it. Become other worldly with me. We cannot forgive those you have never reached for something greater. The fate of mankind is in each of your hands. Can you make it better?

Can you hear the whirlwind calling out your name? It does not hide it’s nature. Imminent destruction is its base, but it does nothing to mask this. There is the chance of the Dervish Enlightenment, but the whirlwind makes no promises. It devours. And, occasionally it spits out a divine dream.

In today’s lesson I want to talk about community, and it’s place in your theological development. What role should the shaman play in society? You see, shamanism is very personal, but at some point the Shaman-To-Be must begin to interact with the community.

You see, a shaman’s primary role is a connector. The shaman sees relationships where there are none, and connects the dots, bringing people together who may have never met any other way. A shaman’s duty is to build a family, or tribe, and to help others to do the same. Putting the right people together is the ultimate goal of spiritual connection: Human Reconnection.

We separate ourselves from others in many, many ways every day. Unity is the only answer to conflict. Sharing, cooperation, understanding; these are the things that move us forward, not conflict and battles. Today, talk to someone you’ve never talked to. That is your assignment.